Peoria County townships will receive about $10K from the state to fix potholes

Sunday

Apr 13, 2014 at 12:01 AMApr 13, 2014 at 8:46 PM

Andy Kravetz Journal Star public safety reporter @andykravetz

PEORIA — Last week, the state of Illinois announced that Peoria County municipalities and townships are among those getting a bit of help this year to fix the numerous potholes left as a result of this year’s record-setting winter.

It’s only about $10,000 on the average for Peoria County townships, but two road commissioners say they aren’t going to turn down the money, announced last week by Gov. Pat Quinn as part of the Illinois Jobs Now! program.

“It doesn’t go a long way when you are trying to maintain the roads, but every little bit helps,” said Kevin Sipp, road commissioner for Logan Township.

His colleague in Princeville Township, Robert “Robbie” Ingle, agreed.

“It’s a buffer to help as that’s about a half mile to a three-quarters of a mile of road that I would not be able to do,” Ingle said.

Last week, the governor’s office announced $100 million for local transportation improvements statewide. Townships and municipalities are to use the money on infrastructure improvements including pothole repairs in the wake of damage from the severe winter. Of that money, Peoria, Fulton, Livingston, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Stark, Tazewell and Woodford counties are to share about $5.8 million.

This is the final year of the massive capital spending program that was approved in 2010. Quinn already has said he hopes to persuade the General Assembly to approve another, similar program later this year.

Amy McLaren, Peoria County’s engineer, said the money will help to supplement the county’s motor fuel tax (MFT) allotment.

“The county will be using this to assist in funding our pavement maintenance operations. Specifically, our annual seal coating program. The MFT is used to cover the costs associated with the oil and aggregate purchases,” she said.

Those purchases are used to patch potholes. Different areas use different methods depending upon how a road is built or how much traffic it handles. Logan Township uses the spray patch method, in which oil is first sprayed into the hole, then some pea gravel. The two are then mixed together to seal the hole.

And while $10,000 is nice, it doesn’t even come close, Sipp said, to pay for the potholes he has to repair this year.

“I expect to pay $40,000 to $50,000 this year to fix potholes from this winter, but like I said, every little bit helps,” he said, adding that he referred to the spray patch method as the “band-aid” approach.

“We do this now so we can fix it better later,” he said.

Ingle said the high cost of the winter in fuel, labor and maintenance was unforeseen, so this money helps. But he also noted dependence upon motor fuel tax for road repair is becoming harder and harder as cars are more fuel efficient.

“There has not been a revision to the motor fuel tax since 1999, and we are still getting the same amount, so I look at this like they are giving me a back a little.

“If you take that $10,000 away from me, then you are going to hurt the people who drive on this road,” Ingle said.

Andy Kravetz can be reached at 686-3283 or akravetz@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @andykravetz.